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The Chinese animal zodiac, or shengxiao (/shnng-sshyaoww/ ‘born resembling’), is a repeating cycle of 12 years, with each year being represented by an animal and its reputed attributes. Traditionally these zodiac animals were used to date the years.

The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac

Chinese Zodiac Calculator — Find Your Animal Sign

Your Chinese Zodiac sign is derived from your birth year, according to the Chinese lunar calendar. See the years of each animal below or use the calculator on the right to determine your own sign.

Those born in January and February take care: Chinese (Lunar) New Year moves between 21 January and February 20. If you were born in January or February, check whether your birth date falls before or after Chinese New Year to know what your Chinese zodiac year is.

Chinese Zodiac Origins — Why 12 Animals?

The 12 animals were chosen deliberately, after many revisions. The zodiac animals are either closely related to ancient Chinese people’s daily lives, or have lucky meanings.

The ox, horse, goat, rooster, pig, and dog are six of the main domestic animals raised by Chinese people. The other six animals: rat, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, and monkey are all loved by the Chinese people.

Why in That Order?

The 12 Chinese Zodiac animals are in a fixed order according to Chinese Yin and Yang Theory and perceived attributes.

The yin or the yang of the animals is defined based on the odd or even number of their claws (or toes, hoofs). The animals are then arranged in an alternating (complementary) yin-yang sequence.

Usually an animal has is the same number of claws on its front and rear legs. However the rat has four toes on its fore legs and five on its hind legs. As the old saying goes, “a thing is valued in proportion to its rarity”, so the Rat ranks first of the 12 zodiac animals. It uniquely combines the attributes of odd (yang) and even (yin). 4+5=9, and yang is dominant, so the Rat is classified as odd (yang) overall.

Zodiac Animal

Toes Per Limb

Odd/Even

Yin/Yang

Rat

4 front; 5 back

(even and) odd

(yin and) yang

Ox

4

even

yang

Tiger

5

odd

yin

Rabbit

4

even

yang

Dragon

5

odd

yin

Snake

0

even

yang

Horse

1

odd

yin

Goat

4

even

yang

Monkey

5

odd

yin

Rooster

4

even

yang

Dog

5

odd

yin

Pig

4

even

yang

Each animal has symbolic meanings given to it by the ancient Chinese. These animal attributes comes in six contrasting pairs that must be harmonized, like yin and yang, and are the primary factor governing the order of the zodiac. (Presumably the attributes most valued by ancient Chinese are first and so on.) The strong yang attribute comes first, then the balancing yin attribute.

Zodiac Animal

Attribute

Saying

Rat

Wisdom

Wisdom without industriousness leads to triviality.

Ox

Industriousness

Industriousness without wisdom leads to futility.

Tiger

Valor

Valor without caution leads to recklessness.

Rabbit

Caution

Caution without valor leads to cowardice.

Dragon

Strength

Strength without flexibility leads to fracture.

Snake

Flexibility

Flexibility without strength leads to compromise.

Horse

Forging ahead

Forging ahead without unity leads to abandonment.

Goat

Unity

Unity without forging ahead leads to stagnation.

Monkey

Changability

Changability without being constant leads to foolishness.

Rooster

Being constant

Being constant without changability leads to woodeness.

Dog

Fidelity

Fidelity without amiability leads to rejection.

Pig

Amiability

Amiability

Chinese Zodiac Hours

It is widely known that each year is associated with a Chinese zodiac animal, but in Chinese culture the 12 zodiac animals are also associated with hours of a day.

In ancient times, in order to tell the time, people divided a day into twelve 2-hour periods, and designated an animal to represent each period, according to each animal’s “special time”.

According to Chinese astrology, though not popularly used, a person’s personality and life is more decided by his/her birth hour than year. The zodiac hour is widely used for character and destiny analysis.

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